Sky planning kids app to take on video titans Netflix and YouTube

Sky is planning a major move into the video streaming industry, with the target audience firmly pointed at children. Similar to YouTube and Netflix's popular kids areas, Sky will launch a streaming service for mobile and tablet with a new interface for kids.

The development of the platform is being handled by usTwo, the team behind the hit mobile game Monument Valley. The game had some excellent visuals, easy on the eyes UI and seemed to work well with kids.

Sky’s video streaming service will be targeted at ages four and nine, with Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and Disney will partnering to bring on-demand content to the service. Sky plans to add parent settings, allowing different to be enabled restrictions.

In the wake of a lawsuit on YouTube Kids’ illegal advertising, Sky has a good chance to win over viewers not please with other mobile options. Netflix Kids is growing in content, but still lacks a lot in the UK, where Sky is headquartered.

Sky also has way more control over what is shown on the app, while YouTube is at the mercy of curated channels. One bad step by these channels, and a potential adopter could move over to Sky or Netflix, where they know what to expect.

It is telling that three companies are now invested in kids content, showing how valuable this demographic is even with the advertising restrictions. Netflix wants more time spent on the service, same as Sky, to make customers pay for another month of subscription.